The concept of Fall Fest, explained Hillier, is to bring a little of the “country to the city.”

“There’s a lot of fairs and festivals across the region in small towns and want to capture that hometown feel, kind of like bringing the country to the city,” said Hillier.

That country feeling includes scarecrow making, pumpkin carving, steer roping and lots of hay, including a 600-bale maze.

“It’s about having the straw, the pumpkins and scarecrows around to get the kids talking and asking questions about our rural roots,” said Hillier.

The food should be fun, he said, noting there is the typical festival fare — elephant ears, french fries and hamburgers — along with lots of cultural cuisine from Asia, Europe and Central and South America.

There will be non-mechanical rides this year with several air-filled play areas which cost $15 for the day.

There will also be arts and crafts booth, various community organizations and even a discount book stall with 20 tables of used books.

“That’s about recycling and any little thing we do that helps the environment, we’re proud to do it,” said Hillier.